Olive oil quality and authenticity: A review of current EU legislation, standards, relevant methods of analyses, their drawbacks and recommendations for the future

• Published in: Trends in food science & technology Vol. 105; pp. 483 - 493
• Main Authors: Conte, Lanfranco, Bendini, Alessandra, Valli, Enrico, Lucci, Paolo, Moret, Sabrina, Maquet, Alain, Lacoste, Florence, Brereton, Paul, García-González, Diego Luis, Moreda, Wenceslao, Gallina Toschi, Tullia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Analytical method; Analytical methods; Authenticity; Exact solutions; Fish; Fishery products; Fraud; Legislation; Meat; Meat products; Normative; Olive oil; Organoleptic properties; Quality; Reviews; Authenticity; Normative; Olive oil; Fraud; Quality; Analytical method
• ISSN: 0924-2244; 1879-3053
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2019.02.025

The physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics of olive oil (OO) are regulated by the European Union (EU) by Reg. (EEC) 2568/91 as amended, which also establishes methods for their analysis. Despite the fact that the OO sector is highly regulated, it is acknowledged that there are still problems; fats and oils, including OOs, are ranked third, after meat and meat products and fish and fish products, in the 2016 EU Food Fraud report on non-compliances per product category. For this reason, EU legislation, among the most advanced in the field, continuously chases after the emerging frauds. The process of proposing new methods or reviewing those current is constantly in progress, to ensure the robustness and the clarity required by official standardised procedures. This review will identify current gaps in EU legislation and discuss drawbacks of existing analytical methods with respect to OO. Suggestions for replacement of specific steps within the present EU methods with more efficient analytical solutions to reduce time and/or solvent consumption will be proposed. This review critiques existing regulatory methods and standards, highlights weaknesses and proposes possible solutions to safeguard the consumer and protect the OO market. •Normative and standard sources for olive oil quality and purity.•Analytical methods for olive oil: drawbacks and limitations.•Normative failures and suggestions for improvements.